A new era on the Los Angeles Lakers is set: the franchise is sold for $ 10 billion. Sportily, glorious times could break in for LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Co.
Mark Walter is very economical with public statements. With money, on the other hand, the man from Cedar Rapids in the US state of Iowa seems to throw himself more or less.
13 years ago, together with partners, he took over the legendary baseball club Los Angeles Dodgers for $ 2.15 billion at that time. Now the 65-year-old buys the iconic basketball franchise Los Angeles Lakers with Lebron James and Luka Doncic-for an incredible $ ten billion.
Magic Johnson: “I’m happy and excited”
“I am so happy and excited for all Lakers fans in the world,” wrote Klub-icon Magic Johnson on X. The Hall-of-Famer, who won five NBA titles in a purple-yellow jersey, praised club chief Jeanie Buss: “My sister did a great job to bring this impressive deal under roof and subject.”
More money has never been paid for a franchise in US sports or another club in the world. Too much money? Not when it comes to Walter. “I’m not trying to save a dollar,” he said after taking over the Dodgers, “I would rather say we have a great team and maybe give a little too much.”
Walter’s success in baseball
The success is right: the well -equipped Dodgers won the title in 2020 and 2024, their current value will be calculated at $ 6.3 billion. In 2023 they gave the Japanese megastar Shoei Ohtani over ten years, endowed with $ 700 million.
Last year the “Taxes” club paid $ 103 million because it was $ 237 million above the salary limit of the league. Now that Walter would rather spend a few dollars too much for the Lakers, golden times could break up for the 17-time master. James is said to collect around $ 52.6 million in the new season, Doncic 46 million, the Würzburg Maxi Kleber still eleven. Other top players are of course urgently needed. A crossing of the “Salary Cap” of 154.6 million would be essential.
Lakers have been owned by the Buss family since 1979
Walter is the head of Guggenheim Partners, an investment company who manages a fortune of $ 325 billion. His second coup in sports, about which ESPN had initially reported, now even puts the sale of the eternal rival of the lakers in the shade: The Boston Celtics changed hands in May for $ 6.1 billion.
The Lakers had been owned by the Buss family since 1979, then $ 67.5 million. After the death of Jerry Buss 2013, the club passed its six children who were disputed with each other. Daughter Jeanie (63) kept the important role as a club boss after a hard legal thaw – she will remain.
Walter wants to stay in the background
The sale to Walter, who had been holding 26 percent of the shares in the Lakers since 2021, supposedly did not agree to two of the six siblings. Walter is already a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks (basketball women), the Los Angeles Kings (ice hockey) and the new Formula 1 team Cadillac. In private, he has a season ticket for the Chicago Cubs, a rival of the Dodgers.
In one of his rare interviews, Walter said that he preferred to stay in the background and leave the leadership of the teams to people who had more idea than him. Walter seems to know very well what a good investment is.